Asura Interview

Jan

2010

Asura Interview

Articles | Interviews

Written by Maja Habajec

Asura project was started 1996 as a collaboration between Charles Farewell and Vincet Villuis. In 1998, Christopher Maze joins the band and in 2000, Code Eternity is out, being the first album of Asura and Infinium Records (ex Ultimae Records). Vincent Villuis left the band to concentrate on his new project, Aes Dana, in 2001, and the same year Alex Ackerman took his place. In the year 2003 another album has been released – Lost Eden. Since July 2005, after the departure of Christopher Maze and Alex Ackerman, Asura became a solo project, exclusively composed by Charles Farewell. What are can we expect from him in the future find out in the following interview he gave to Chillbase.

What's the origins of the name Asura and why did you choose it?
In Hinduism, the Asura are a group of power-seeking deities, sometimes referred to as demons. They were opposed to the devas. Both groups are children of Kashyapa.The negative character of the asura in Hinduism seems to have evolved over time. In general, the earliest texts have the asuras presiding over moral and social phenomena and the devas presiding over natural phenomena.
In Zoroastrianism, the term asura is linguistically related to the ahuras of Zoroastrianism, but with an inverted morality. Thus, while in Vedic religion the asuras are demonic, in Zoroastrianism, the ahuras are benign. This inversion also applies to the other class of immortals: where the Vedic devas are benevolent, the Zoroastrian daevas are malevolent.
That’s why we chose this name. For his ambivalence, not totally good, not totally bad. Like a human. The Asuras are very human deity, in fact.

What is your music background and what brings you to chill out and ambient sounds?
I am a self-taught musician. I was a student at the University of Literature of Lyon III in 1994, and I met Vincent Villuis (A.K.A. Aes Dana, created in 2001), and we decided to make music together. In 1996, the project Asura was born...

Who are your major influences and what inspires you in making music and life in general?
When I was a little kid, I listened to Vangelis and Jean Michel Jarre. They gave me the sense of epic and dramatic compositions. I am not at all a child of Kraftwerk ;). Afterward, I discovered Tangerine Dream and Peter Gabriel, who inspired me for my space ambient side and my world fusion side too. I love to mix every kind of musical moods in a same track.

Will you briefly describe your music making process and gear that you are using?
I think it's like many other musicians. I have an idea, and at the end of the track, it doesn't look like at all what I was thinking about at the beginning. This is what is magical in music. You don't know where you go, but you go on! My stuff is in its most important part virtual. But I still sometimes use a korg n5, who gave the sound of Code Eternity, and a Minimoog.

Can you tell us more about the chill out scene going on in France?
Chill out music, and above all Ambient, or Trance Ambient are very underground genres all over the world. And France isn't an exception. I would say it's even worse, cause French electronic souls are not really turned to the outside.

Are there any other projects you are involved in? With whom do you collaborate in your work?
I am creating a space ambient project with another artist who is not at all in the ambient scene. Our aim is to relaunch the real live act in electronic music and to put into emphasis a musical genre totally put apart for several decades, since Michael Stearns, the Tangerine Dream or the Klaus Schulze of the 70's.

Would you share some details from your upcoming album? When can we expect it to be released?
There will be 10 tracks, its name will be "360" and it should be released around June or July 2010 on Ultimae.

Plans for the future?
Yes. I want to make a solo space ambient album in 2011.

A few thoughts about you behind Asura?
Life is beautiful. Hope it’s the same for the most of Chillbase users ;) Love and Light everybody!

Links:

Asura

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Good one.
Asura @ Aurora 09 was amazing. I wanted to read an interview with him for a long time. I was really "blind" to his magic before this live act which was the best live act at the festival.

Mezzamorpher , January 05, 2010

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yes, nice interview indeed.
+ the 2 samples from Asura's "360" album are really beautiful !
moving atmospheric stuff, as always from the Ultimae artists.

Gad.K , January 05, 2010

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Nice Majah, thanks for the words Charles!

iTranscendence , January 05, 2010

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I've been waiting for this one

woodzee , January 05, 2010

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thanks for reading guys smilies/wink.gif

can't wait 360 to be released!

MaJah , January 07, 2010

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9. A few thoughts about you behind Asura?
Life is beautiful. Hope it’s the same for the most of Chillbase users smilies/wink.gif

Love and Light everybody!

Right back at you. It's going to be even more beautiful with all the upcoming releases.

I love the Asura tracks on the Air / Water / Fire compilations. When I listen to Marianna Falls I cannot imagine anything but the biggest and most beautiful waterfall in the universe. Absolutely awesome.

weedbringer , January 22, 2010